New Life: Rewrite
by 7RedCards
Summary: A bitter, introverted orphan is adopted by the Fazbears. Although they seem to try their best to welcome him, he's unable to stop himself from showing how much he doesn't want to be there. But he'll soon learn that this family has it's own troubles, and that it may just be the one he's longed for his whole life. Rewrite of my first terrible story.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay...here we go, right?**

He was slowly waking up to a voice halfway yelling at him. _Go away..._ He growled in his head, sighing grumpily and curling up. He instantly regrets it, as it just seems to encourage whomever the voice belonged to more. The blanket is yanked off of him, and he sits up to grab it back, his eyes still shut.

"Eli, wake up! Now!" The voice said sharply, but not without a hint of humor. Rubbing his eyes and groaning, Eli looked over drowsily at a clock on his bedside table. He squinted, his blurry vision slowly focusing on the numbers. Six in the morning.

"What the Hell, Jackson...?" He asked groggily, forgetting that the middle aged man hated swearing for a moment. He slowly stands, looking up and noticing that Jackson's hair was graying...and slightly... "Are you going _bald?"_ He asked without thinking. Jackson's eyes widened, and one hand flew to the top of his head. Eli begins to grin, then groans again. "Why're you waking me up at the ass-crack of dawn?"

"Watch your language, young man. You may be the oldest here, but I won't hesitate to wash your mouth out with soap and you know it." Jackson threatened. After he receives a muttered apology from the teen, his voice begins to heighten with excitement. "I have wonderful news for you!"

"Uh...the donations are going well...?" Eli guessed, hoping it was true. He loved helping with the younger children, but it was hard to put six-to-eight-year-olds to sleep when the beds provide mediocre comfort at best. Better bedding was high on the list.

"Actually, yes. We got quite the generous donation from a philanthropist Angelica managed to grab the attention of." Jackson shook his head, having lost his train of thought for a moment. "But no, that's not it!"

"You found a match on that dating site?"

"Stop guessing and pay attention!"

"So that's a no?"

"Elijah!"

"Sorry. Continue."

"I got a call this morning from a family, and-"

"Is Terry getting adopted? He's been trying really hard."

"No, it wasn't for Terry! It was for you!" Jackson finished impatiently. Silence for a few moments as the young teen squinted, processing the statement.

"...you're joking." He deadpanned. Jackson shook his head vigorously.

"You know I'd never joke about something like this!" He exclaimed.

"But...but I can't just _leave!_ This place has been my home since I was a year old! I was gonna work here!" Eli began, his eyes wide. "You need more people for the fundraisers, and I'm the only one old enough to work for money, and-"

"Eli, you can still do these things when you can." Jackson cut him off calmly, but with sadness under his tone. "But this may be your last chance to be in a functional family, and go to a real school. Now please stop arguing and pack up. We have a long drive ahead of us." He turned and left the room. In a burst of spite, Eli raised his middle finger to the door, then drew it back after a moment and ran a hand through his shaggy auburn hair.

"Shit..." He repeated various expletives for a minute, furiously wiping his eyes and berating himself mentally for crying. But what could he do? This place was his life. He'd given up long ago on being adopted. He was going to put his heart and soul into helping the orphanage! "I thought he took me off of the list...I asked him to..." He said softly to himself. Standing there for another minute or two, he pulled an empty suitcase from under his bed and began packing what little he had. Drawings the younger kids made for him, his second pair of pajamas and two outfits that were basically the same, a hoodie. He put on one of the outfits (blue jeans, a solid blue t-shirt, and the red hoodie) and slipped on a pair of lace-up boots that ended just above his ankles. Finally, he picked up a small, fluffy stuffed wolf he'd had with him when he first arrived at the orphanage. He put it in the suitcase as well and closed it. Just as he walked out the door, he heard Jackson starting his car outside. Eli walked towards the entrance and stopped by the door to the 'playroom', where all of the kids were. Briefly, he considered going in to say goodbye. But he couldn't. If he went in, he wouldn't be able to make himself leave. So he drew in a slow, deep breath and kept walking.

* * *

He was silent for much of the drive. He stared out the window bitterly at the clear blue sky and shining sun. Why was the day so damn _pretty?_ It was like the God he was never sure he believed in was mocking him. He sighed, long and slow and dramatic enough to make him cringe. Jackson noticed and spoke.

"I expected you to be much more verbal about this..." He said, the caution in his voice only halfway a joke. Eli sends him a dirty look that is returned with a raised eyebrow. He sighed again, looking away.

"Who are these a-these people?" He asked, stopping himself from insulting the family he had yet to meet.

"The Fazbears." Jackson responded. "Don't make fun of the name, Elijah." Eli huffed and rolled his eyes.

"You're no fun..." He muttered.

"Anyway, I was only able to talk to the oldest. His name is Freddy, I believe. I couldn't hear him well on the phone, there was a lot of talking in the background." Eli nodded, humming to show that he was listening. "That's all really know. This could be the right family for you, Eli."

"I told you to take me off of the list."

"You knew even then that I can't."

"...do I have to make them like me?"

"You have to try. Just be yourself, you're likeable enough."

"Gee, thanks." They both cracked grins, Eli's significantly smaller. He yawned and rested his head on the window. Within a minute, he's out like a light.

* * *

"Eli..." Jackson said, shaking the teen gently. Eli's eyes instantly opened, and he sat up and stared at the house. It was the only one for about half a mile, and pretty large. Two stories tall, painted white with a dark shingled roof and a dark blue door. For some reason, Eli's eyes were drawn tot he door. The color was like the ocean. For a moment, his imagination ran wild. He would open the door and fall straight into the ocean, the darkest depths of it. He'd begin to get cold, and unable to breath. He'd claw towards the surface, but it wouldn't get any closer. His lung began to burn and he began to suck in water desperately and- "Eli!" He snapped out of it and looked at Jackson.

"I'm okay..." He hugged the man tightly and sighed, then took the suitcase from the back of the car and got out. He didn't watch the car drive away.

* * *

The boy looked lost, Freddy thought. Like he didn't know where and why he was there. He was clutching a small suitcase tightly. The wind was blowing, and it pushed his bangs in front of his eyes, which the teen quickly brushed away. One eye was different from the other, Freddy could tell that even from a distance. It was darker. He wanted to rush out there to greet him, but then a hand placed itself on his arm, and his sister spoke.

"Don't scare him. Let him come up here first." She said gently.

* * *

Eli stood there for several minutes, just staring up at the house. Why was he here? Why didn't he fight back harder to stay at the orphanage? Why did these people want to adopt him? Who adopts a teenager? He shook his head and took a breath, walking slowly onto the porch to the front door. Once again, he thought of the ocean, and had to shake the thought from his head. He knocked on the door. It swung open quickly, and he took a startled step back.

"Hey!" A deep voice exclaimed cheerfully. Eli looked up at a tall, broad shouldered man about...somewhere between twenty and twenty-five. His hair was almost as long as Eli's, but neatly combed to stay out of his eyes. His eyes were deep blue, and...he had a few gray hairs. Wasn't he too young for that? Other than these hairs and a few other signs of stress and mild exhaustion, the man wasn't bad looking at all. But he was wearing too much brown. Eli didn't care much for the color anyway, but the man was brown head to toe. Chocolate colored hair, a dark brown long sleeved shirt, beige converse...at least he was wearing blue jeans. He tried to will himself not to say anything, but it already slipped from his mouth.

"You look like a walking chocolate bar." He sounded rude, almost contemptuous, and winced. God, this man looked like he had enough to deal with without the kid he was adopting insulting him! What the Hell was his-the man began to laugh, and Eli stared in surprise.

"I guess I do, huh?" The man stuck out a calloused, work-roughened hand. "Freddy Fazbear. Welcome to my home, Eli." Eli stared at the hand for a moment, then slowly reached out and shook it.

 **God, it's already so different and yet so similar XD What do you guys think? Is it any better? Tell me what you think, and if you have any questions PM me!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, the first chapter got attention quickly! XD I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter!**

 **And, cause I'm nice, I wanna see what you guys think will help with character development! Answer in PM/review!**

 **To Guest: I guarantee nothing, but the no shipping thing you requested might end up happening...I dunno, depends on how this goes.**

Freddy had to admit, he was slightly put off by the kid. It was obvious (to him, at least) that Eli was trying to maintain a neutral expression, but his eyes were squinted slightly, as if he were irritated or uncomfortable. He seemed disinterested in the inside of the house. Freddy took this time to take a better look at him. He looked younger than he was with his hair. It was long enough that it was beginning to curl at the tips of his bangs, sideburns, and at the back. He'd brush his hair from his bangs often, which revealed his eyes. _Heterochromatic_ was the word, he believed. One was greenish blue with brown ridging the pupil. The second was brown to the point of looking black in dim lighting. It was off-putting, but not necessarily in a negative way. His skin was pale. He _had_ to have some Irish or Scottish blood in him to be as pale as he was.

He was thin. Very thin. This began to raise alarms in Freddy's head until he realized that the hoodie must've been bought too big for him. So were his pants. Freddy made a mental note to buy baggy clothes for him. He decided to break the admittedly awkward silence and spoke.

"What do you think, Eli?" He looked around at the living room. Most people would notice the large leather couch, the cream colored walls, or the large TV. Freddy only noticed the mess. Shoes and jackets were on the floor next tot he front door, and he suppressed rolling his eyes. _I keep telling Bonnie and Foxy to clean up after themselves..._

"It's fine." Eli replied quietly. He was avoiding eye contact. In fact, his gaze seemed to be focused squarely on the carpeted floor. Freddy grinned.

"Yeah, the carpet does look pretty good, but I meant the rest of the room." The redheaded teen cracked a grin, but it quickly went away as he looked up around the room. He used the same response: 'It's fine.' "...how about we head into the kitchen? You can meet everyone else!" Did he sound too cheerful? Probably.

* * *

This guy sounded _way_ too cheery. Eli could understand why, but it still didn't do much to soothe his nerves. He shook his head and looked up at Freddy...or his nose, anyway. He didn't want to meet his eyes for some reason. He had a feeling that the man could already read him more than what he was comfortable with.

"Can I go unpack?" He asked quietly. "Where's my room?" He knew if he talked much louder, his anger would show. He wanted nothing more to launch into a spree of swear words, but just the image he conjured of seeing him throw what would probably look like a random temper tantrum made him feel sick with himself. Freddy looked disappointed, but then nodded and led Eli a bit further into the house, then turned right at a staircase and began climbing them. Eli followed him closely, taking the time to really take in how the den looked. He hadn't wanted to show his interest in front of Freddy. The man stopped at the top of the stairs, and Eli looked past him. There was just a wall straight ahead that led to two hallways tot he left and right. Freddy walked down the right, and Eli followed. There were two doors, one on each side. Freddy lead him to the one to the right and opened the wooden door. Other than a large bed, an empty closet, and a bedside table, the room was empty. Eli walked in and sat down, looking around at the light blue walls.

"It doesn't look very fancy right now, but we'll work on it soon okay?" Freddy was still smiling. Eli finally met his eyes. He had slight bags under them.

"Do you get enough sleep?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowing. "You look exhausted."

* * *

Wow. That was the most the kid had said to him so far. He looked really worried for him, but it probably wasn't because it was him. _So he's not completely apathetic, huh?_ Freddy smiled.

"I'm fine, kiddo. Don't worry." Eli nodded, but he didn't look convinced. Then his eyes dropped and his neutral expression took place again. "It's Thursday, so we'll get you enrolled Monday. Until then, we can go buy you some stuff for school and for your room on Saturday. Sound good?" Eli nodded.

"What'll we do tomorrow and today?" Freddy grinned.

"You get the special treat of getting to know your new family." He replied. Eli took a deep breath, then slowly released it. Then he looked up.

"Why do you have gray hairs? You're twenty-two if you're a day." This kid was talking more and more, wasn't he? He felt flattered that the kid was concerned.

"I just work a lot. And I'm twenty-four, but thanks. When, uh...when you're ready, come downstairs to the den and I'll let you meet everyone else." He turned and left the room, shutting the door quietly.

* * *

Eli immediately places his suitcase onto the bed and pops it open, then begins unpacking. His room didn't have any windows. But that was okay. He tended to feel paranoid about windows at night. He hugs up his clothes in the closet, the drawings on the table, and his plushie (he'd named it Biscuit when he was little, and couldn't think of anything better even now) on the bed, next to the pillow. Then he untied his boots and placed them neatly by the bed. He laid back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. He really didn't want to be here. He knew it was unfair to blame Freddy and his family for taking him in, but he did. He had a feeling that on some level, he'd always resent them for it.

"May as well get it over with..." He mumbled to himself, getting up. Taking deep breaths to calm himself, he left his room and walked downstairs.

 **How do you think this should go? Should there be a chapter for each character he meets, or should I cram it all into one?**


	3. Chapter 3

**So, I discussed it with a good friend of mine, and we agreed that it'll be best to make the meeting and initial 'bonding' (them being nice and Eli trying to be antisocial XD) of each character a separate chapter, rather than cram it all into one.**

 **First up is bachelor #1. A.K.A Bonnie.**

 **Note: Okay, let's be honest here, NO GUY that I know of is named Bonnie or Foxy. No girl I know of is named Chica. It sounds like her parents were too lazy to think of a name for her XD so these are their new names (thanks to this same friend, I suck at names -_-)**

 **Bonnie- Brandon**

 **Ronnie (cause the name makes me cringe when I remember how non creative it was)- Ryder**

 **Foxy- Felix**

 **Chica- Charlotte**

 **That's all, folks!**

 **And you know what? For the Hell of it, I wanna see your opinions. I'll put up a poll when this is posted, asking what you guys think of as far as who Eli should date: Ryder, Brandon, both (once again, poly ftw), or neither (*insert forever alone meme here*).**

 **Enjoy this chapter!**

To Eli's surprise, there were only two people in the living room. Freddy and another boy with...purple hair. Purple. Hair. _Well, now I've seen everything._ Eli cleared his throat, and the two looked at him, making him look away to fight back a rush of both anger and anxiety. _Stop staring at me._

"Hey, Eli." Freddy said, his voice calm, yet he still sounded so freaking _cheerful._ "This is your new brother, Bonnie."

"Stop calling me that..." The violet haired boy grumbled, then stood and approached Eli. He smiled and reached a hand out for Eli to shake. "My name's Brandon." Eli didn't shake his hand.

"Why did he call you Bonnie?" He asked instead. Then, before he could stop himself... "Did you have a sex change?" Silence. Ten straight seconds of silence as both Eli and Brandon began to blush redder with each passing second. Then Freddy burst out laughing. Brandon turned to the brown haired man angrily.

"This is _exactly_ why I told you guys not to call me that!" He growled, fists clenched. A knot of fear and anxiety began to grow in Eli's stomach, gnawing at him.

"Sorry about that..." He muttered. "I say shit without thinking sometimes..." Freddy gave him a sharp glare.

"Watch your language, kid." He scolded, frowning. Eli felt a surge of anger but suppressed it. _He's been nice so far, but if he doesn't want you to swear, then don't. You can't do whatever you want here, and the last thing you need is to get him pissed at you._ Eli took a breath that he hoped wasn't noticeable and resumed his neutral expression. He looked at Brandon.

"Why do they call you Bonnie, then?"

* * *

Brandon already knew that this kid had a temper. The moment Freddy finished his sentence, Eli's expression had darkened a bit. Bonnie had heard before that even when someone has a perfect poker face, their eyes can give them away. This was true for the redhead in front of him. _I wonder if he knows how easy to read he is._ The look in Eli's eyes promised another few swear words, worse than the one he'd used. Then he put the mask back on. Mask was the only word Bonnie could think of when he saw the way Eli would don a cold, uncaring expression.

He didn't like that expression. It made him feel angry, sympathetic, and frustrated all at once. Mostly sympathy. As he observed the way Eli looked, he realized that the kid didn't like being seen. Not literally, of course. He didn't like being looked at or noticed, though. His bangs were in his eyes as they both looked at him, but he made no move to brush him away. His jacket was so baggy that the sleeves went an inch or two past his fingertips. He had old, torn pants on, but every hole had been sewn back up. He didn't like the way the kid hid himself.

He also wouldn't meet their eyes. Maybe their faces, but never their eyes.

"No reason, really." He replied, rolling his eyes and glaring at Freddy, who grinned back. "It's just a pet name to aggravate me."

"...people used to call me Ellie..." Eli said in reply. Both he and Freddy stared at him, and the redhead's face began to match his hair.

"Cute name." Brandon said, hoping to make him feel better. Nope, all that did was add a few more shades of red to Eli's face. "Sorry...uh...wanna see my room?" Eli made a face for a moment, then it was gone. Weird. Then he nodded. Brandon smiled and led him upstairs into his room.

"You like purple, huh?" Eli asked quietly as he looked at the violet walls. Brandon nodded.

"Yep. It's my favorite color." He looked at Eli. "Why? You don't?" Eli shook his head.

"I like it too. But my favorite color is green." The redhead muttered. Then he placed a hand on Bonnie's wall and seemed to space out. His eyes glazed over, and his expression went entirely blank. Brandon felt concerned and gripped Eli's shoulder. Instantly, Eli snapped out of it and stared at Brandon's hand...then up at him. They made eye contact for only a second before Eli shook his hand away and walked past him. Brandon felt weird for a moment, then he grinned like an idiot.

 _He has beautiful eyes..._

* * *

Eli walked to Brandon's dresser and looked at a framed picture of him and a crimson haired (Okay, _now_ he had seen everything) boy at a beach. Eli felt heat rising in his face and looked down. _Damn him. I like spacing out..._

He'd touched the wall and said something to Brandon, but didn't know what. He still didn't. He started thinking of...well, everything he liked. He'd always thought of purple as a passionate color, and not just romantically. It had been a royal color to ancient Romans. Every time he saw it, he thought of everything he liked doing. Reading, writing, drawing, archery (thought he'd never had a chance to try it). Then Brandon had pulled him out of it. To Eli, that was like pulling him out of his own world he'd created.

Eli liked to think of scenarios and worlds in his head. Of course, everything that happened to him was predictable, which didn't help how he hated interacting with people at all. Which made him space out more and more. He was doing it now as he stared down at a scarlet red guitar.

"You play guitar...?" He asked softly, picking it up. It was heavy. Suddenly fearing that he'd drop and break it, he placed it on Bonnie's bed and just looked at it.

"Yeah." Brandon walked over to him. "Uh...wanna hear me play?"

* * *

Eli looked up at him, and Brandon had to resist a grin. He looked like he'd just been offered a million dollars.

"Can I...?" He asked, sounding like a little kid almost. Brandon smiled and sat down on his bed, picking up the guitar and tuning it.

"Sure you can." He gestured to a chair by his dresser. Eli sat down, crossing his arms on the back of the chair and resting his head on them. He watched him intently. Brandon grinned for a moment, then began to play.

He was starting to like this kid after all...

 **EXTRA:**

Brandon stopped playing after a few minutes and looked up. Eli was asleep. He looked peaceful that way. Brandon put his guitar back and picked Eli up. He was so light it was almost scary. How much did this kid weigh? Storing the thought away for later, he put Eli down on his bed and sat by him, brushing his bangs from his eyes.

Freddy had made the right choice for a new family member. He had a feeling Eli would fit right in. It would take a long time, maybe months. But it would be worth it. He stared as the corners of Eli's mouth went up a bit. He was smiling.

 _..._ Brandon liked his smile. He looked like he didn't do it enough.

 **And that's it for Bonnie's chapter! Next up is Charlotte!**

 **Just in case any of you are confused: Eli blushed when he saw the picture because...well...they were at the beach, they were shirtless XD**

 **And to be clear...just because Bonnie might be developing a crush on Eli does NOT mean it'll come to anything. I say might because he really was just happy Eli actually looked at his eyes instead of his face or the floor.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry about putting the poll up late, guys XD**

 **Anyway, enjoy Charlotte (Chica) actually getting character development!**

Charlotte looked at the kitchen clock and sighed, standing up from the dining table. She turned to look at Freddy as he came in.

"I hope this works out..." She muttered to him as she started to prepare dinner. Their mom wasn't around, so she had to be...even though she was younger than Foxy, which made her the youngest after Brandon. "He didn't seem too keen on _entering our house,_ much less living here permanently."

"Would it kill you to be positive, Chica?" Her brother asked with a grin. She rolled her eyes at the nickname, but wasn't able to keep from smiling.

"That name is the most unoriginal thing I've ever heard." She replied, looking at Freddy, who feigned a hurt expression.

"I thought it was pretty creative!" He exclaimed. She cocked an eyebrow.

"You don't know a _word_ of Spanish, do you?" She opened a cabinet and took out some black pepper. " _Chica_ just means 'girl'. What sounds good for dinner?"

"Hm...one of your famous pizzas would be great for his first _dinero._ " Freddy answered. Charlotte slowly turned her head to look at him.

"...did you say _dinero,_ Freddy?" She asked, cracking up. Her brother nodded, looking confused. "That means 'money', genius." Freddy stared at her for a moment, then laughed. Eli walked in, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Charlotte smiled. " _Te gustan la pizza, senor?_ " She asked playfully.

" _Si, mi encantar la pizza, senora._ " He replied after a moment of hesitation. Charlotte looked at Freddy's surprised expression with a grin.

"The introverted sixteen-year-old knows more Spanish than you, Freddy. Step into a corner and think about what a disappointment you are." She said through bouts of laughter. Freddy turns to do so, and she laughs harder. "Get out and let me have a moment with Eli, okay?" He salutes her and leaves with a grin. She looked at Eli and smiled gently. "Care to help me out with making a pizza, Eli?" He nodded and walked next to her.

"What do I need to do...?" He asked her. She gestured to the cabinets.

"There should be a bag of flour in one of those cabinets. Grab it for me?" He nodded and opened the cabinets, pulling the bag out and placing it on the counter near her. "Thanks, sweetie." She starts to make dough from the flour and smiles at him. "So, tell me about yourself! Got a girlfriend?" He shook his head.

"I...I don't really..." His face slowly tinted red, and he averted his gaze.

"Aww, you've never dated anyone? Cute!" She giggled. He shook his head again.

"I dated someone once..." He said, sounding like just talking about it was painful.

"But you said you've never had a girlfriend..."

"Yep." He said, stretching out the y. "That's what I said..." Oh. _Oh._

"...cool." She replied, putting the dough on a cutting board and rolling it flat. "Kind of sucks that this house is 95% male populated, huh?" After a pause, she grinned. "Or maybe it's heaven on earth, depending on how you look at it." She looked at Eli and laughed. "Good lord, you're redder than your hair!"

* * *

Charlotte looked down at the pizza they made just as the oven finished preheating. "Okay, now we just-" The phone rang, and she groaned. "Eli, put the pizza in while I get that." She ran into the living room and picked up the phone. "Hello?" She asked, peering into the kitchen. Eli already put the pizza in and was staring intently at the oven, as if it might explode if he didn't give it his full attention.

"This is Henry Jackson, I run the orphanage in town. Is Freddy there?" The caller asked. Charlotte resisted rolling her eyes. She didn't like this guy's tone.

"He's busy." She lied. "I'm his sister. If it's important, tell me and I'll relay the news to him." Silence for a moment.

"I just wanted to ask a few questions. Is Eli adjusting well?" Jackson asked. She took another glance at Eli (he hadn't moved. Like, at all.) before speaking.

"You know him better than I do. He's talking some, but he's generally acting like he just doesn't care about anything."

"Wow, you already have him talking?" Jackson sounded so surprised that Charlotte paused for a moment.

"...I almost want to ask if you're joking, but I have a horrible feeling you aren't..." She muttered. Jackson went on to ask her several generic questions, a few of which (their monthly income, Freddy's working hours, etc.) she either didn't know or didn't particularly think were the man's business. After almost half an hour, he finally said he was done and hung up. Just as Charlotte put the phone down, the timer she'd set for the pizza went off, loudly. Then she heard a yelp and a chair toppling over. She ran into the kitchen. "Eli, are you okay?!" He was laying on his back on the kitchen floor, his chair on it's side nearby. He raised his arm and gave her a thumbs up, grunting.

"That hurt like a bitch..." He grumbled, making her laugh despite herself. She helped Eli up and he picked up the chair as she got the pizza out and set it to cool.

"So, are you excited to go to school?" She asked, still giggling. Eli shrugged.

"I dunno. I've never been to school. I mean, they taught me everything that the public school was teaching at the orphanage, but I've never actually been to it." He replied, then looked at her. He seemed to scrutinize her for a moment before speaking. "You're really pretty." She blinked, pausing as he looked at the pizza. _That was random..._ "Do you think it'll taste good?" She smiled and nodded.

"Boys!" She called out. "Pizza time!" She pulled Eli away from the door as Brandon burst in, sitting down at the table. "Brandon Fazbear, if you break that door's hinges one day you'll be fixing it yourself." He just sent her a goofy grin and nodded.

"Yes ma'am." He saluted her, then smiled at Eli. "Did my sister order you around too much?" Eli looked over at Charlotte, whose eyes looked one wrong word away from shooting lasers at Brandon. Then he looked back at the purple haired boy and changed the subject to the first thing that popped in his head.

"Do you buy your own hair dye or do you steal it from Charlotte's room?"

 **And I'll end it here before Brandon gets too pissed XD**

 **Remember to vote on the poll eventhoughinthelongrunitwon'treallymatterwhatsoeverwhatthemajorityvoteis! Goodnight everybody!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Alright, Goldie's turn!**

 **I didn't bother labeling his name because I thought it was clear that my headcanon has his name as Fred XD**

 **Guest (that reviewed ch 3): It's pronounced ee-lie. Don't worry, it's okay that you didn't know! ^^**

 **Xxander: Hmm, the shadows? Good question...probably not, but maybe if I rewrite the sequel? Or maybe they will be in this, who can say? ;)**

 **Guest (that reviewed ch 4): As previously said, I guarantee nothing.**

 **Enjoy, guys!**

Eli had taken a slice of the pizza and walked into the living room, sitting down at the couch to eat alone. Freddy would look at him every minute or so, obviously worried but unsure what to do. Fred finished first and stood up, looking at Brandon.

"Your turn to do the dishes, Bonnie." He said with a grin. Brandon rolled his eyes.

"Can't catch a break today, can I...?" He muttered to himself. Charlotte smirked.

"It's your own fault for dying your hair purple, sweetie. I told you he'd ask about it." She replied. "You had several opportunities to dye it back to brown." He sent his sister a venomous glare that was returned tenfold. Freddy shook his head and looked at his twin brother.

"Goldie? Do me a favor and check on the kid, okay?" Fred nodded and walked into the living room. Eli was only halfway finished with his slice, and his eyes were glazed over. He was on 'autopilot', as Fred called it. He was carrying out a basic function without really thinking about it. He waved his hand in front of Eli's face, who blinked a few times and looked up at him blankly.

"When you're done eating, I want to show you something. Okay?" Fred asked. Eli nodded, then kept eating.

* * *

These people were really keen on not leaving him alone, weren't they? Eli was trying his best not to get irritated, but he was just so used to being _alone._ He knew that he could lock himself in his new room and they wouldn't say anything, but he didn't want to burden them any more than he already was. That's why he'd only gotten one slice of pizza, and the smallest one. It just seemed so little to eat for a family of five as it was without a sixth mouth to feed. _That's all I am, anyway. Another mouth to feed._ He finished his pizza slice and stood, wiping his hands on his jeans reflexively and taking the plate to the kitchen. He washed it quickly and put it on the rack to dry, then walked back to the living room. Fred was already standing there. He was smiling, but barely enough to be noticeable.

"So what did you want to show me?" Eli asked. Fred gestured for him to follow and walked upstairs. Eli followed silently, looking back into the kitchen for a moment. Brandon was doing the dishes while everyone else was just talking. He turned back towards Fred and caught up to him. "Fred?" The man in front of him hummed in reply. "Where are we going?" Fred looked back at him with a smile.

"My room. I want to show you something..." He replied. Eli nodded and let Fred lead him on into his room. The walls were covered with paintings and sketches, all of scenery pieces. Eli's eyes widened.

* * *

Fred felt pride well up in him when he saw the look of awe on Eli's face.

"Did you make all of these...?" He asked quietly. Fred nodded, grinning widely. "Woah..." _Well, looks like I was right. All he needs is a little push to open himself up a little._

"Do you want some paint and an easel?" He offered. "I have a lot of extras." Eli looked at him in surprise, then a huge grin. He looked like a kid in a candy store was given a hundred dollars.

"Are you sure...?" He suddenly looked unsure. Fred rolled his eyes and gently pushes Eli.

"Of course I am, kid. I'll help you move them into your room." Eli nodded, looking around again at the artwork.

* * *

Fred was sitting on Eli's bed and watching the kid paint. He was using a lot of purple. _He either has a really unique imagination or he likes color symbolism. Maybe both._ So far he was making a lot of broad strokes, covering most of the easel. Then he grabbed a lighter purple and started painting something in the environment. Fred spoke up after a moment.

"Why purple?" He asked. "I'm not complaining, and Bonnie would love that. But I just want to know why that." Eli didn't look back, but his voice was so quiet when he answered that Fred had to lean forward to hear.

"It means passion. All colors are allegories if you use them right..." He suddenly stopped and looked back, his expression nervous. "You're sure it's fine if I have your stuff...?" _Wow, he's a little paranoid about stuff like this..._

"I'm absolutely positive, kid." Fred stood. "I'm going to go talk to Freddy, okay? Have fun." Eli nodded.

* * *

When he left, Eli looked up and bit his lip. _I really hope he doesn't end up needing these later...I'll have used one already, and I used a lot of the violet paint..._ He looked down at the purple acrylic paint and smiled a little. They all had such weird names. _Rose fuschia?_ What did that even mean? Wasn't fuschia a color on it's own? Or the purple one he used. _Violet Splash._ Okay, that one was more normal, but was the second word really necessary? Eli shook his head and finished the bow he'd drawn. It was a compound bow, drawn back by an invisible hand. He smiled a bit and let himself space out as he continued painting. Several minutes passed before he looked down to see what he had made. A guitar. He frowned and sighed. While he was spacing out, his hand had gotten too close to the bow, and now they were blended together.

"Shoot..." He whispered, putting down the brush and closing the paint bottle. He sat down and stared at the now ruined painting with a disappointed expression. _It was coming out so well, too..._ "So was your last home, so that's appropriate." He didn't realize he'd spoken aloud until he looked up and saw Fred looking at him from the doorway.

"What happened at your last home?"

* * *

Fred was shocked by the instant change. The moment the last word left his mouth, Eli's gaze hardened. He stood up, his fists clenched and shaking.

"Mind your own _damn business!_ " He exclaimed. Fred backed up, eyebrows furrowed.

"Woah...calm down, kid. I just-"

"It doesn't _matter_ what happened at my last home! With some luck, I'll be out of your hair by the end of the week and you can forget I ever existed like _those_ assholes already did!" And like that, the anger was gone and replaced by fear, which then turned to a blank expression. "Please, just leave me alone...I'll come out in a minute, okay...?" Fred nodded and left, closing the door behind him.

* * *

He'd fucked up already. It wasn't that he'd mentioned _them._ Most of the time, he could talk about his last adoptive family with no problem. It was that he'd lost his temper and yelled. He never did that anymore...damn his temper! _Jackson told me it'd get me in trouble someday..._ He laid down on his bed and took a shaky breath.

"Shit..." He whispered.

 **Well, I had to make him have a strained relationship with SOMEONE at first, didn't I? XD although in this it's Eli's fault for lashing out. I hope you all enjoyed it!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry I keep popping in and out like this for my stories, guys...that's probably why almost none of my followers bother reading me anymore XD**

 **I just lose my motivation to write a lot, and that leads to a huge block until someone brings me out of it or I force myself. Low self esteem issues are a bitch that way. Ugh.**

 **Anyway, it's Felix's turn for development! Thanks SO MUCH to the same friend as the last few times for helping with this ^^**

When Felix opened the door, Eli was laying on the bed with an arm over his eyes. He closed the door behind him silently and stood there for a minute, wondering what to say.

"I know you're there..." Eli grumbled. "Here to chew me out, I guess?" Felix shook his head and sat down on the bed next to him.

"No, I just want to talk. My name's Felix, by the way." Eli peeked at him, then covered his eyes again.

"Why do you and Brandon dye your hair?" He asked quietly. Felix sighed, smiling fondly at the memory of why.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you when I get the chance. It'll be worth it to see Brandon's face get as red as my hair."

"Don't be too mean to him..." Eli replied.

"Speaking of mean...what you said to Goldie was uncalled for." He was taken aback when Eli released a dry laughs.

"My whole _life_ was uncalled for." He made a face immediately afterwards. "Did that sound as cringey to you as it did to me?" Felix shook his head.

"Actually, no. I don't know what you've been through in your life, but I doubt you're the type to say things like that for no reason."

"It still wasn't fair to Fred." Eli countered. "I thought I was over my bad temper, but I guess it's hereditary. I wouldn't know if it was, though. I've been in that orphanage since I was less than a year old." He took a slow, unsteady breath. "I guess I'm just mad at you all." Felix furrowed his eyebrows in purplexion.

"Mad at us? What did we do?" He asked. "We're trying to make you feel welcome here..."

"I know. That's not why I'm mad. I appreciate you all for trying to make me feel at home. But I'd already had my whole life planned out. I told that old coot to make me unavailable for adoption when I was thirteen because that's when I gave up. Then I was adopted again, and I was happy, but then that was ruined. So I begged...I _begged_ him...to never let me be adopted again. I was going to work there, you know? Work there, helping the kids be happier and improve the place. But no. You guys had to ruin that for me." Felix began to speak, but Eli didn't let him. "I know it isn't your fault. You didn't know. But no matter how well this goes...part of me will hate you guys for a long time."

"...I want to help you with your anger problem." Felix said almost silently. He wasn't going to comment on the rant Eli had gone on. He had no clue what he could say to console him. And his heart hurt. _'Part of me will hate you guys for a long time.'_ It echoed in his head, and he had no idea why it affected him so severely. Eli looked up at him.

"And how do you plan to do that?" He grinned a bit, but it was weak. "Play music from a Rocky film while we do a badass training montage?" Felix couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"If only it were that easy, buddy. And even if we could, I've never seen those movies."

"Me neither, but there are a lot of people that pretend to know what they're talking about for their own convenience."

"...was that a political joke?"

"I dunno, maybe." He sighed. "But really, what do you want to do to help me out?"

"Well, we have a punching bag in the basement..."

"I am _way_ too skinny to do that, so don't even try to make me." Eli cut him off, voice flat. He uncovered his eyes and stared at the ceiling. "...do you have a baseball bat or something I can use on that bag?"

"You need to learn how to fight without a weapon." Felix replied, frowning.

"The only rule to a fight is to make sure you win." He shrugged. "And don't think you'll never get hit, but that's a bridge you should cross when you get to it." He yawned, covering his mouth. "What time is it...?" Felix looked at his phone.

"It is...almost nine o'clock at night." Eli's eyes widened a bit.

"I've been just lying down in here for three hours?" Felix nodded, and the redhead beside him groaned.

"It's fine, just get some sleep. Tomorrow you and me can hang out a bit more." Eli nodded.

"I'm gonna change into my pajamas, okay...? Mind leaving...?" Felix stood and smiled, walking towards the door. "...I don't hate you guys. I didn't mean that. But, if this place _does_ work out...I'll think about the life I'd wanted for myself every day...and I'll blame you guys for it not happening." Felix took a slow breath and nodded, walking out of the room and closing the door.

 _Maybe he's acting a little dramatic..._ Felix thought. _But he's also right. No matter how I look at it, we screwed up the life he was happy with._ He frowned, eyes narrowing at the floor. _That's okay, because I swear...I swear, with everything I have..._

 _...I'll make him want a life here, with us._

 _With his new family._

 **Uuuuuuuuugggghhhhh, I'm tiiiirrrrreeeeeddddd XD**

 **School exhausted me today especially, for some reason. Anyway, consider this slight plot development and slight filler at the same time. Next chapter will have Eli enjoying himself here...even if he doesn't want to.**

 **Goodnight everybody!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! New chapter again, yay! *totally not playing Mystic Messenger because I'm just that gay***

 **ANYWAY, I hope you enjoy this! Make sure to leave a review if you can, they always help!**

 **And, for the third or fourth time already, thanks to a special friend of mine for helping me get my ass in gear ^^**

Eli started to wake up, then groaned quietly and rolled over. He could hear talking, and for some reason it annoyed him to no end as he slowly began making out what they were saying.

"Maybe we could just go without him?"

"No way. I'm not gonna let him sleep until noon. Which it nearly is."

"It's just ten o'clock, Freddy." Eli slowly opened his eyes and waited for the blur in his eyes to fade before he rolled back over to see Freddy and Brandon standing at the door.

"I'm awake..." Eli grumbled, his eyes slowly closing again.

"Eli?" Brandon asked. Eli's eyes popped open again.

"Yeah?" He slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Is it time to go buying stuff already?" Freddy frowned.

"Already? Eli, it's ten in the morning." Eli brightened a bit, smiling.

"Really? That's a new record! I usually wake up after twelve!" He yawned and stood up. "I'm gonna take a shower first..." He grabbed his second outfit and walked into the bathroom.

...

Brandon watched Eli until the teen closed the bathroom door, then he turned to Freddy. "So, do you wanna go alone with him or should I come with you two?" Freddy rolled his eyes.

"What'll he do if you don't come with us, shoplift an HDTV?" The older man asked. Brandon glared.

"Very funny. You should be a comedian." He retorted sarcastically, making Freddy laugh. "I'm just worried about him. I get the feeling that he hates crowds." Freddy stopped laughing, but his grin remained, a bit bigger.

"Aww, you already care about him~!" He teased. Brandon's face flushed red.

"So do you, shut up!" He almost yelled.

...

About half an hour later, Eli's staring out the window of Freddy's car as they head to town. The silence was a little awkward, but not uncomfortable. After a minute, Freddy speaks.

"Are you sure you want to go?" Eli snorted.

"A little late to ask now, don't you think?"

"I meant inside the store, smartass." Freddy elaborated. Despite the insult, he was smiling. "I like the attitude, though. But if you want, what I meanst is that you can stay in the car while I go inside and buy you what you need." Eli sighed and shook his head, eyeing all of the buildings they pass from houses to restaurants to stores.

"There wouldn't be much of a point to bringing me here if I didn't go in with you..." Eli said, his voice almost inaudible. Freddy nodded as he parked as close as he could get to the Wal*Mart and turned the car off. He didn't get out right away, his gaze on Eli. To the teen, it felt like Freddy was scrutinizing him, and it made him feel uneasy. He began to fidget a bit and stared down at his lap, trying not to think about it. But oh God, he could _feel_ Freddy's gaze on him, and his face began to flush in embarrassment before-

"Are you okay, Eli?" Freddy asked softly. Eli slowly nodded, his blush disappearing slowly.

"Y-Yeah...I'm fine." He forced a smile and looked at Freddy. "Don't worry about me. You already do enough for me." He opened the door and got out of the car. Freddy hesitated. _Already do enough?_ He shook his head and got out too, locking the car door and walking into the store with Eli.

...

Brandon was staring at his phone as he laid on his bed, one arm crossed behind his head. After a minute, he texted Freddy. Hey, how's he doing? He sighed and dropped the phone by him and stared at the ceiling. He didn't know why, but he was really worried for Eli. It was odd to him, since they'd only met yesterday. He'd talk to the others about it, but he knew one of them would say he had a crush on Eli. Just imagining the look on Felix's face made Brandon clench his fists.

Sometimes, he really hated his brother. Felix constantly teased and embarrassed him, just for kicks. Sure, it was often something Brandon would have laughed at...if it wasn't in front of the rest of the family. And it got worse when they started embarrassing him in front of Eli.

 _Eli._ Brandon loved that name. Well, he liked Eli too. Without realizing it, his mouth broke out into a grin.

...

Freddy felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and pulled it out, looking down at it. A message from Brandon.

Hey, how's he doing? Freddy chuckled, considering teasing his little brother before deciding against it.

Good, we just walked into the store. I'll tell him you said hey :) He put his phone back in his pocket and looked around. Eli wasn't there. He swore under his breath and looked around.

...

Eli hadn't noticed that Freddy had stopped. He was headed to a part of the store that was under a hanging sign labeled Books. He began walking down the aisle, tilting his head to the side to read the spines. He didn't know someone else was walking the opposite way until he bumped into them. He straightened and looked at who it was.

The boy in front of him looked a bit similar to Brandon. But this guy was paler, with emerald green eyes and...turquoise hair. _What is it with guys in this town and weird hair colors?_ Eli decided it would be better not to voice this question, and instead he lowered his gaze to the floor.

"Sorry..." He muttered his apology quickly and began to walk around the boy.

"Are you Eli? The Fazbear's new kid?" The boy asked from behind him. His voice was a bit lighter than Brandon's, but about the same pitch. _Okay, this shit's getting into the Uncanny Valley..._ Eli nodded without speaking, then turned.

"How did you know?" He asked, the corners of his mouth dipping down just slightly. The boy, by contrast, is showing a faint trace of a smile.

"Word gets around fast. Freddy and Goldie are, uh...pretty famous for their blended family. Charlotte and Brandon are both adopted too." Eli tried-and failed-to hide his surprise. "I know, right? They look like they're blood-related. Anyway..." The boy held his hand out. "I'm Ryder." Eli stared down at his hand for a few seconds before shaking it without conviction. "It's good to meet you. If you see me at school Monday, just ask and I'll help with whatever you need." Eli nodded.

"Thanks..." He mumbled, eyes averting to the bookshelf. Ryder smiled and pulled one out, handing it to Eli. _Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children._ Eli looked up at Ryder, staring. Ryder smiled and walked away.

"There you are!" Freddy's voice boomed from behind him, and a large hand gripped his arm. Eli pun around, wide eyed, and tried to yank his arm away to no avail. "Why'd you run off?" The man asked with a worried frown. Eli didn't speak, staring at Freddy's hand on his arm.

"...let go." Eli said quietly. Freddy paused for a moment, then released him.

"...I'm sorry. You just worried me." Freddy looked down at the book Eli was holding. "Do you want that?" Eli blinked and looked down.

"N-No, that's okay." Eli put the book back quickly. "Did you find what you needed?" Freddy nodded with a kind smile.

"Yeah, I think so. Go ahead and wait for me by the exit, okay?" Eli nodded, turning and walking away. Freddy made sure that Eli couldn't see him, then takes the book and puts it in the cart he was using.

...

Eli tended not to expect things to happen when he was busy, or had his mind set on something. Almost as if he believed that the world stopped turning until he could pay attention to it.

So he didn't really process when someone called out his name, nor did he stop until he got to the exit. He then turned to see an older man, maybe in his fifties, approaching quickly. He was a little overweight was Eli's first observation, the second being that the man was wearing a work uniform. Eli watched him come over silently.

"Can I help you with something, sir?" Eli asked, frowning a bit. The man's face is dead serious, and his voice harsh.

"I saw you with that book. I checked the aisle afterwards and it wasn't there anymore." He said. Eli squinted a bit, wondering what that had to do with anything. Then it dawned on him.

"...you think I shoplifted a book." His tone was flat, and he made sure it was _very_ clear in his voice just how stupid he thought the man was. Apparently it worked pretty well, because the man's face was beginning to redden.

"If you didn't do it, then you won't mind letting me make sure." Eli made a face.

"And where would I hide it?" He asked. "Down my pants? Up my shirt?" He would scold himself later for letting this last comment slip, but at the time he couldn't help it. "Maybe you lost it in your fat folds." It was, undeniably, funny to see how furious the man was becoming.

"I bought it for him, sir." Both Eli and the man turned, surprised, to Freddy, who had somehow walked up to them without them noticing. He's smiling tightly, his eyes hard and his voice strained. "He didn't steal anything." The man looked confused for a moment, then his eyes widened a bit.

"Oh...OH! This must be Eli, then! I'm sorry, Mr Fazbear." Eli found it a little...unsettling that this man seemed so wary of Freddy. This feeling wasn't helped when Freddy's eyes seemed to darken, and the smile dropped a bit.

"Apologise to Eli, not me." He seemed to be barely holding onto his obvious anger. The man looked at Eli and quickly apologised, but that wasn't good enough for Freddy. "Eli, do me a favor buddy?" Eli was about to protest both the pet name and doing the favor, but common sense kicked in quickly and he nodded. "The cart's by the register. I've already paid. Be a sport and take it to the car? I'll be there in a minute." Okay, now he was being talked to like a little kid. This would've bugged him if he didn't have an odd feeling in his gut that nothing good would happen if he refused.

...

Freddy waited until he was sure Eli couldn't hear before speaking. "Sir, I'd like to make something perfectly clear." He said as calmly as he could. His vision was starting to go dark. "If you or anyone else _ever_ pulls shit like that on him again, there will be _Hell to pay,_ do you hear me?" The man nodded, and Freddy couldn't refrain himself from doing what he did next. He pushed the man against the wall, his vision almost pinpricks now. "Just to make sure you understand. _Don't you dare harass him like that again or you answer to me._ "

...

Eli was waiting by the car, pushing the cart back and forth a bit to occupy himself. He looked up when he heard footsteps and saw Freddy walking over. He looked...off. His expression was stony, his movements stiff as he unlocked the trunk of the car and put everything in the back.

"I'll put the cart aw-" Freddy took it before he could finish.

"I've got it. Get in the car, we're going home." Freddy's voice was quiet. Eli immediately got in, buckling the seatbelt. His hands were shaking. He hadn't been this scared of someone in a _long_ time. As soon as Freddy got back in the car and started it, Eli looked at him.

"Are you okay...?" He asked hesitantly, almost fearing the answer. Freddy looked back at him. A few seconds passed silently before he smiled.

"I'm fine, buddy. Thanks." He messed up Eli's hair, his smile growing when Eli groaned in irritation and fixed it. Although the atmosphere was lighter now, Eli felt uneasy.

What exactly was it about Freddy that made that man scared of him? Had he seen Freddy lose his temper before?

And the biggest question of all...

 _What exactly did Freddy do when he lost his temper?_

 **Couldn't NOT bring back Freddy's dangerously short fuse XD I hope this doubly long chapter makes up for my long absences!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys, I'm back! =D**

 **Xxander: I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far! ^^ no, I don't have a beta writer, I just have a good friend that helps me with possible ideas and generally just kicking my ass until I write XD**

The first thing Charlotte noticed when Freddy and Eli came back was how nervous Eli looked and how ticked Freddy looked. This, needless to say, worried her. But before she could ask what was wrong, Eli headed upstairs to his room. She sighed and looked at Freddy. "Okay, what happened?" She asked. Freddy shrugged, sitting down on the couch. She glared until he sighed and spoke.

"Some old..." He took a slow breath. "One of the employees gave Eli a hard time and I...may have threatened him..." Charlotte sighed.

"And, let me guess...it freaked Eli out?" She asked. Freddy shook his head.

"I made sure he couldn't hear it, but I think he could tell I was mad." Charlotte raised an eyebrow.

"You think? _Everyone_ can tell when you're mad, Freddy. It's not hard to tell." Freddy groaned, facepalming. "Hey...how about tomorrow we go out somewhere? All of us?" Freddy looked at her, then nodded.

"Yeah, sure. Sounds fun. If Eli will even want to go. I probably scared the Hell out of him." Charlotte laughed.

"Dude, even when you're not mad you're scary. You're literally almost three-hundred pounds of muscle." Freddy looked indignant.

"Nobody's scared of Goldie!" He protested. Charlotte grinned.

"Maybe it's because he's blonde?"

"Not naturally!"

"Then why don't you dye your hair and see if you're less scary?"

"I am NOT dyeing my hair, Charlotte!" She laughed and walked into the kitchen.

"CHICKEN BREAST AND BAKED POTATOES FOR DINNER!" She screamed. There was a collective 'YAY' from the boys upstairs (except for Eli, who added it to the list of reasons this family was weird), and Charlotte began to cook. "So, Freddy." She calls out. "How was work last week?" Freddy sighed.

"I'd love to tell you, but it's pretty much your cliche nine-to-five job sis. But longer." He shook his head. "But at least I get paid the extra hours."

"That's not good for you, Freddy. I've never seen you take a vacation." Felix said behind them. Freddy sighed and shook his head, but the redhead continued. "How many vacation days do you have saved up? Be honest."

"...six months." He grumbled.

"...what the _Hell,_ Freddy." Freddy growled.

"Just stop asking me about work! When it's your damned business, I'll let you know!" He shouted. Silence.

* * *

Eli heard Freddy yell and frowned, curling up and holding Biscuit like it were an actual baby wolf instead of a plushie. He knew it was childish, and it made him feel self-conscious (though that was nothing new for him), but it still made him feel better. He used to carry it around the orphanage all the time. He sighed, staring at the plushie. _Don't. It's stupid, embarrassing, and childish._ But he did it anyway, his voice hushed.

"What am I gonna do, Biscuit..." He whispered. Immediately feeling like an idiot, his face flushed and he threw the plushie across the room, where it hit the wall with a quiet thud and hit the floor. "..." He got up and ran over, picking Biscuit up and making sure it wasn't dirtied. Then he hugged it tightly.

* * *

When Brandon walked into Eli's room, the auburn haired teen was sitting on his bed, holding a stuffed animal in his arms tightly.

"Hey..." He called out quietly. Eli jumped and hid the toy under his pillow, his face reddening. Brandon smiled a bit, walking to the bed with a plate of chicken and a mashed up baked potato. "You didn't come down for dinner, so I..." Eli's gaze alternated between Brandon and the plate for a few seconds before he took it.

"...thanks..." He mumbled, slowly eating. Feeling awkward, Brandon sat down on the bed next to Eli.

"So, I...wanted to talk to you..." He muttered, looking away. Eli stopped eating and swallowed what was in his mouth before answering.

"What about?"

"Nothing, really. Just...talk, I guess. I, um...want to know more about you." Brandon's face was probably bright red, and it wasn't helping that Eli was silently staring at him. Then he redhead continued eating, averting his gaze. When he next spoke, it was a minute or two later.

"What would you like to know?" He questioned. Brandon hummed and looked down at his lap, trying to think of a good way to start. He decided and returned his gaze to Eli.

"Do you like to read?" Eli nodded immediately.

"Freddy bought me a book today, I'll probably start reading it after I eat." He replied, taking another bite from the chicken.

"Okay...is there any sport that you like?" Eli paused for a few seconds, then shook his head.

"I've never cared much for sports. Do you play one?" Brandon shook his head, then grinned.

"Aren't I the one asking questions?" Eli nodded in response and gestured for him to continue. "Uh...what's your favorite food?" Unexpectedly, Eli grinned and playfully groaned.

"Noooo, you can't put me on the spot like that! There's too much to eat in the world!" Brandon laughed, and so did Eli.

* * *

Early that morning, everyone was dressed and ready to go to the park. Except...

"Where's Eli?" Fred asked, frowning. Felix slowly looked at Freddy.

"I thought you were going to wake him up?" He asked. Freddy shrugged.

"I did, I guess he went back to sleep." Felix sighed and trudged upstairs to Eli's room. The teen was halfway dressed, still in sweatpants but in a regular t-shirt with a hoodie over it. _How late did he stay up...?_ Then Felix saw the book on Eli's bed. The bookmark was on the last page. _That must've been a really good book._ He shook Eli gently.

"Come on, kid. Wake up." Eli groaned and opened his eyes. After a few seconds, he jumped up and pushed Felix out of the room.

"Sorry, I'll get dressed and be right down!" He exclaimed, almost too quickly to understand as he shut the door. Felix stood, waiting for about a minute before Eli flung the door open and ran past him downstairs. Felix rolled his eyes with a grin, then followed him down.

* * *

Eli was silent on the drive to the park, just staring out the car window until they arrived. Everyone else that was in the car with him (Freddy, Charlotte, and Brandon) tried to pull him into a conversation, but he'd wanted to go into his own little world. He'd been kind of neglecting it for awhile. But he was also still tired. He had stayed up until four in the morning reading the book. He hadn't started until twelve, and had finished it before he went to bed. Now he really wanted to read the sequel...but that wasn't what his little world was about. It was like he had his own little Wonderland to go into in his imagination.

"Eli, we're here." Brandon said to him. Eli snapped out of it and got out of the car, then started to mentally freak out when he couldn't. Then he remembered that he hadn't unbuckled his seatbelt.

He really needed some sleep. He unbuckled it and got out, walking around. He _very_ vaguely registered Freddy calling out to him...but he saw a swing and damn if he wasn't going to use it. He sat down in it and started swinging, not wanting to go very high for now. He looked around, yawning a bit and shaking his head. Then he saw a familiar boy with blue hair. He waved a bit. Ryder grinned and jogged over.

"Hey Eli! What's...are you okay?" He asked, frowning. Eli nodded.

"Yeah...just didn't get much sleep..." He stopped the swing, but stayed on it. "Thanks for the book, it was really good." Ryder nodded, then looked back and waved as Brandon walked over.

"Hey Bonnie!" He greeted cheerfully. Brandon glared and muttered something about stupid nicknames and his stupid family. "I hope you've been treating Eli well?" Brandon's glare intensified.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ryder looked confused.

"You take things too seriously, you know that right?" He asked. Brandon shrugged and looked at Eli with a worried expression.

"When did you go to sleep, Eli?"

"Uh...four in the morning...ish..." Before Brandon could berate him, Felix called out to them.

"Guys! Mind if I borrow Eli for a minute?" Eli stood up, yawning again, and walked over to the crimson haired boy.

* * *

Ryder looked at Brandon with a grin. "He's cute, isn't he?" Brandon made a face.

"Don't even think about it, Ryder." He growled. Ryder's grin became joking.

"Aww, do you have a crush on him?"

"Shut up..." Brandon muttered under his breath. But his face was reddening. "...but yeah. He's cute."

"I knew it!" Ryder almost yelled, and Brandon clamped a hand over his mouth.

* * *

Eli stood in front of Felix, rubbing his eyes. "What did you need?" Felix smiled, although it looked a little strained, and he sat down on a bench. After Eli sat by him, he spoke.

"So...I was thinking about your little anger problem again...and your antisocial habits..." Eli nodded. "And...I think maybe you should talk to someone about it." Eli's face turned stony, and his eyes held anger in them through the drowsiness.

"I don't need a fucking therapist, Felix." He replied. Felix looked a bit surprised, but continued.

"I just don't think it's good for you to be so..." He trailed off.

"Apathetic? Aggressive? What were you going to say?" Eli demanded, glaring.

"Uh...I don't know...?" Eli rolled his eyes and walked towards the parking lot. "Hey, where are you going?"

"I'll be in the car!" He yelled, speeding up. He got into the car and slammed the door, taking a slow breath to calm down. "Why can't any of them mind their own business?!" He clenched his fists, but the fire was replaced with an empty, hollow feeling. He stared down at his lap, losing himself in thought.

He couldn't do this.

He really couldn't.


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay, so as far as character development goes, the focus is gonna go back mostly to the plot, so Sunday will be mentioned but skipped. Hope you enjoy this new chapter!**

 **Xxander: No, he's just a really great friend that motivates me ^^ And none of the OCs that aren't plot related will appear in this.**

The rest of Saturday and all of Sunday had passed much more quickly that Eli would've liked, most likely because nothing eventful happened in that span of time, other than Eli trying to avoid Felix whenever possible.

He groaned as he was shaken awake, rolling over in a lazy, vain attempt at getting whoever it was to stop. But no, it continued until Eli finally sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"What the Hell..." He grumbled, looking up at the assailant who dare interrupt his sleep. It was Brandon, grinning a bit as he kept his hand on Eli's shoulder.

"Are you awake now?" Brandon asked, looking only seconds away from laughter. Eli nodded with a sigh and got out of bed.

"Does _every_ school make their students wake up at the asscrack of dawn?" He asked grumpily, trying not to pay attention to the discovery that Brandon slept without a shirt. _Oh yeah, you're a real hardass until you see a guy half naked, huh? School's gonna be great._ He thought to himself, his face unknowingly flushed light red.

"Unfortunately," Brandon replied, laughing, "Yeah they do." He frowned after a minute. "Are you feeling okay? Your face is red." Eli nodded, pulling hia arm away from Brandon's hand.

"I'm fine. I'll get dressed and see you downstairs..." He muttered. Brandon still looked concerned, but left with a nod. He didn't close the door, so Eli did with a frustrated groan. He was _not_ a morning person. He removed his pajamas and got dressed in an outfit Freddy had bought him; A baggy black shirt with the name of what Eli guessed was a band (My Chemical Romance. He made a note to listen to a song later) on it and dark blue jeans. He laced his boots and walked downstairs into the kitchen.

* * *

Charlotte thought there was nothing cuter than a tired Eli. He looked younger than he was, with a wild bedhead and half lidded eyes. He yawned as he walked into the kitchen and sat down by Brandon.

"How do pancakes for breakfast sound?" She asked, smiling. Eli just nodded, looking ready to fall asleep again at any moment.

"Thank you..." He said after a few seconds. Charlotte nodded, her smile growing.

"Not a problem, sweetie. How many do you want?"

"One. Just one..." He replied, finishing the sentence with a yawn.

"Eli, I'm making you _breakfast,_ " She told him, "Not an entree at a restaurant for millionaires." That earned a sleepy giggle from the teen and a chuckle from Felix as he walked in and sat down across from Eli. "I'll give you two, okay?" Eli nodded, suddenly solemn and avoiding eye contact with Felix. "What's going on with you two?" Neither of them answered, so she decided to drop it until later.

* * *

Eli was already nervous. School buses didn't pass the house because it was too out of the way (too far from the school, which was on the opposite side of the town they resided near), so Brandon was driving him to and from every day (the rest of the family had voted that with cheeky grins that were lost on Eli). Eli was humming to a badass song on the radio about a girl dating her crush and taunting the boy's ex. It was mean, but oh so satisfying to hear for some reason.

"Remind me to buy you a CD of this band." Brandon told him, grinning. Eli nodded, smiling at him. "If anybody gives you trouble, just tell me. Okay?" Eli nodded once again. "I'm serious, I already know you won't unless you're told that you can."

"You don't know anything about me." Eli replied coolly, looking disinterested in the conversation as he hummed another song that came on. Brandon sighed and focused on the road, now silent. But they both knew he was right. Eli would only tell them that people were harassing him if he absolutely had to. When they finally made it to the school, Eli was impressed. It was two stories tall, bigger than he expected, and looked surprisingly well kept. They both got out of the car (thank GOD it was black instead of purple. Eli hated purple on cars) and walked into the building.

"We go into the gymnasium every morning, so just-"

"Who the Hell says _gymnasium?_ " Eli interrupted, looking at him like it was the oddest thing he'd ever heard.

"Who the Hell names an animal _platypus?_ " Brandon retorted. Eli was silent for a few seconds.

"Okay, you have me there. Continue."

"So just sit down anywhere you like and go to whatever class your schedule sheet says." Eli frowned.

"But I don't know where any of the classrooms are."

"That's why you ask people for directions."

"How about I just ask you?" It sounded sarcastic, but Brandon looked down at Eli and realized how nervous the teen was. With his hair not in his eyes, the expression in them was clear: he was scared.

"...sure. Just hold on while I grab your schedule sheet." He walked into a room that Eli assumed was the office. The redhead looked around and wondered if Felix and Charlotte were already in the gym, then decided he'd rather not go in alone and check. He jumped a bit when Brandon tapped him on the shoulder, a white slip of paper in his hand. Eli took it and looked at them.

"I thought you got to pick classes in high school?" He looked up at Brandon, who nodded.

"Just take every class, and you have a week to change any that you don't like." He smiled. "Want me to walk into the gym with you?"

"Sure." Eli replied, but Brandon could almost _sense_ his relief. The closer they got to the gym, the louder it seemed to get. The sound of people yelling and talking made Eli feel a little sick.

* * *

Ryder looked up when he saw Eli and Brandon walking into the gym. And damn, did Eli look nervous. He was standing close to Brandon, his eyes wandering rapidly over every face sitting in the bleachers. Ryder raised his hand and waved to catch their attention. Brandon saw him and looked hesitant, but pulled Eli over to him.

"Hey Eli! How's your first day at a public school going?" He asked cheerfully with a mischievous grin, already knowing the answer.

"I could do without waking up before sunrise, but I guess it's okay..." Eli mumbled, sitting down by him. Brandon sat down next to Eli and kept giving Ryder looks that screamed jealousy. Ryder just grinned in response and looked at Eli.

"If you need anything at all, just find me and let me know." He said, smiling sweetly. "Okay?" Eli nodded, oblivious to the glare Brandon was sending the other boy.

 **Ooh, someone's jealous~**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter, even though literally nothing happened XD**


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry for another long wait XD enjoy the chapter, and remember that reviews are appreciated!**

Eli _really_ didn't want to be there. He was tired, he was thirsty (he should've accepted Ryder's offer of a drink, but he hadn't), and he was nervous as Hell. Brandon seemed to sense this and smiled.

"Everything'll be fine, Eli." He said reassuringly. "If you need anything, just ask Ryder or me. Got it?" He nodded. "Promise you will?" Another nod. "Good. I have to go to class. Ryder, show him around?" The blue haired boy smiled and gave a thumbs up. Brandon walked towards his class, talking to his friends as the bell rung. Ryder smiled down at Eli. _Damn it, he's like three inches taller than me!_ Eli gave a half-hearted smile in return.

"Let me see your schedule." Ryder said, taking a look at it. "Hey, good news! We have the same class first period!" Eli tried to look excited and failed miserably. The class was Geometry. _Fuck my life._ Eli sighed and shook his head as he followed Ryder down the hallway. He was pretty sure that the other student was saying something or asking a question, but he hardly payed attention. He really didn't want to be here...and he hated Math. Oh God above, how he hated it. _Mostly_ because he was generally awful at it. Of course, the fact that nobody at the orphanage knew what to do with problems they'd pulled from the internet didn't help either.

 _3 Hours Later_

Eli's mind felt effing numb. The class was even _more_ awful than he'd imagined. Everyone was too loud, the teacher too grumpy, the equations far too complicated for his first day. His only saving grace had been Ryder. He'd gone out of his way to help Eli out, even accepting detention for helping him with a problem when he wasn't allowed. Eli felt awful about it, but at the same time it gave a warm, tickling feeling in his chest that would bubble up into a quiet giggle and a grin if he wasn't careful. _He's so nice...so why does he want to be friends with_ _me?_ Well, there it was. The cesspool of self degradation had returned. Not that Eli didn't believe that every awful adjective his own mind would use on him was deserved, because it was (at least, he thought so), but it could pop up at the worst times. The best times for them to pop up were when he felt he most deserved them, like when he did something wrong or failed at something he aspired to do. The worst times were when he felt truly happy, which were rare moments in his life lately. It was an unpredjctable pattern. Some days he was positive and sweet, wanting to be active and helpful. Others he was content to lay in his bed and just think of everything he'd done in his life wrong, even some things that weren't at all his fault ( _You should've helped Sarah with her fundraiser and maybe we would've gotten more. You should've been watching Timmy instead of speaking with a customer and maybe he wouldn't have been hit by that reckless driver. At least he hadn't died, or that would've made you a murderer.)_ in the long run. He was knocked out of his reverie, quite literally, when he walked right into someone. Stumbling back, he mutterd a quick apology and tried to walk past the student.

"Watch where you're going!" The student, a boy judging from his voice, exclaims. But he stands in front of Eli to block him, and panic begins to bubble up from Eli's stomach. But he manages to keep it from his voice as he speaks.

"Please move." His voice comes out soft and toneless, his face blank but his eyes downcast. If he had been looking up, he would've seen that the student was grinning and might've realized that the stranger was just teasing him. But he didn't, and instead the panic began to mix with irritation.

"Or what?" Eli couldn't figure it out. Was the guy teasing him? Playing around? Just being an asshole? The last one seemed most plausible, at least to Eli.

"Move." He said, louder now. He knew people were watching...and he heard one or two laughing quietly. _Oh Hell no._

"I don't think I will, kid." The panic was overrun by the anger, and Eli felt himself snap.

"GET OUT OF THE FUCKING WAY!" He yelled, shoving past the boy and running down the hallway.

Ryder didn't know how to react. _You should've done something._ That kept repeating in his head as he watched Dillon, the boy that was teasing Eli, stare after said boy in stunned silence. He had just been playing around, but Ryder knew something was wrong when Eli looked progressivwly more angry, until he yelled loud enough for even teachers in their classrooms to hear.

"Eli, wait!" He called out, running after the redhead. Eli didn't stop, didn't even look back. He turned a corner and stopped at his locker, swearing as he puts the wrong combination in. By then, Ryder had caught up to him. "Eli...what happened back there?"

"That _asshat_ wouldn't fucking move!" Eli snapped. "I have to go to class, so just leave me alone!"

"What in the world is your problem?" Ryder asked, frowning. "You act like you have a grudge against everyone you meet!"

"Get bent!" Eli snapped. "Nobody asked you to follow me around! Just go away!" Without waiting for an answer, he slammed his locker shut and ran off to his next class. Ryder just stared after him, fists clenched, before he shook his head and walked to his locker.

The things he did for cute guys...

 **So, yeah. Can you tell the ending was rushed?**

 **I'm sorry, guys. I just...I'm not sure if I have any inspiration for fanfiction left in me. For FNaF, anyway. I just feel like I can't really do anything else with this particular writing fandom. So...I don't know if this will get finished. But either way, thanks so much to all of you that have supported me for the past three years. You're all amazing. Feel free to PM me anytime. I'll always answer =)**

 **I'll see you all when I see you. Bye...**


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: I lost a bet, so here we are! Also I thought writing something else would help me out a bit =3 enjoy!**

The rest of the day passed at a snail's pace for Eli. He hated it at school already.

And it wasn't because of the classes or the teachers, or even the other students. It was because there were _so many people._

He wasn't good with crowds at the best of times. Being around well over twenty at a time? Hell no.

It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to anybody. He'd seen quite a few people that he'd wanted to start a conversation with over the course of the day, but he was too shy. Whenever he thought about actually _walking up to them and talking,_ waves of anxiety would go through his chest and stomach.

It didn't matter anyway. Nobody had expressed any interest in talking to him that day.

Which is why he was surprised when he found the note on his desk. He didn't know who put it there. He'd reached under his desk to pull out his history book, and it was just there when he looked back to the desk. It was a folded up piece of notebook paper, just sitting right in the middle of the desk.

Eli briefly looked around, hoping to see who might've put the note there. Upon seeing nobody looking his way, he quietly opened the note and read it.

 _'Meet us in the band room after school. It's the last door on your left, to the left of the office.'_

Roy read the note twice, then searched for a signature of any kind. None.

 _Well, what've I got to lose?_ He folded the note back up and slipped it into his pocket. _At least it gives me something to do._

That afternoon, he followed the note's directions and found himself standing in front of the band room door. After hesitating for a moment, he opened the door and stepped inside.

"Ryder, stop screwing around!" A female voice yelled. In front of Roy, her back turned to him, was a petite girl with strawberry blonde hair tied back into a ponytail. Ryder was standing in front of her, holding a saxophone with a big grin.

"Aww, but Cassie!" He protested. "I thought you loved Jazz music!"

"Not when _you_ play! You have no idea how to use a saxophone! I'll bet you don't even know its tone!"

"Uh...soprano?" He guessed. Eli spoke up, his voice so soft he wasn't sure that they heard him at first.

"Uh, hi..." The two looked at him, and Ryder's grin only widened.

"Hi Eli! It's great to see you!" He took a breath and blew into the saxophone, blaring out a sour note. Cassie covered her ears.

"Cut it out, Ryder! Put the sax back!" The blue haired boy stuck his tongue out, but cleaned the mouth piece and put the instrument away. While he did that, Cassie turned to Eli with a sweet grin and stuck her hand out. "I'm Cassie. Ryder's already told me a bit about you." Eli frowned as he watched Ryder put the instrument away.

 _He probably told her about your little outburst earlier._ "Anything good?" Cassie gave him a mischievous smile.

"Oh, it was _all_ good." Ryder looked at them both and blushed.

"Okay...uh...why did you guys ask me to meet you here?" Eli asked. Ryder smiled at him.

"Well, you seemed like you were having a bad day, and we can't have you hating this place, so..." Ryder's smile grew to a grin. "I thought we'd give you something to look forward to every day!"

"...to you badly playing the saxophone while your friend yells at you?" Ryder and Cassie both laughed.

"No, not exactly. We're both in the school band, so I thought maybe you'd want to join?" Ryder suggested hopefully.

"You...actually want me to join?" Ryder nodded.

"Of course!"

"I...I don't know how to play any instruments...and I can't read sheet music..." Ryder smiled.

"Do you think I was born knowing how to do either of those things?"

"Uh..." Eli tried to keep a straight face as he pretended to think about it. "Yes." Ryder grinned.

"Don't worry, I'll teach you how. You can even come over to my house for a bit if Freddy allows you. But for now..." Ryder searched for something, then picked up a trumpet with a large grin. Cassie's eyes widened in horror.

"Ryder, don't you dare."

"What's so fun about being in band, anyway?" Eli asked quickly. Luckily, Ryder heard and put down the trumpet, which brought a sigh of relief from Cassie.

"Well, you'll be able to play during games and pep rallies. I know they might not sound fun, but they are if you participate." He smiled. "It'll give you something to look forward to here, _and_ it's a great way to make friends."

"Well..." Eli chewed on his lower lip. "What instrument would you be teaching me?" Ryder looked at Cassie.

"Well..." She said. "I do flute, Ryder is drums, Mariana has the trumpet..." She trailed off for a bit. "Maybe you could do the saxophone?" Eli looked at the instrument.

"Um...okay...but you said Ryder's bad at playing it..." Cassie laughed.

"Oh trust me, he is when he wants to get on my nerves. But he's actually good at it. You'll be fine. I think." She looked at Ryder. "Are you a good teacher?" He grinned.

"I'd like to think so." Cassie gazed at Eli with dread.

"You're doomed." Eli couldn't hold back the laugh that bubbled up from his chest. Cassie and Ryder shared a smile.

"Anyway, you shouldn't keep-" Right on cue, Brandon opened the door.

"Eli, why the Hell are you in here?" He asked, frowning. Eli stepped back a bit, his heartbeat speed increasing a little.

"I...uh..." He couldn't think of what to say for a moment. "I'm joining the band." Was the first coherent thought that came through, so he blurted it out. Brandon looked surprised first, then he grinned.

"That's great! I'm glad you found something you like! But how about you tell me next time you're going to take a while to get to the car, okay?" Eli made a face.

"Don't talk to me like I'm six years old." Brandon's face went a little red.

"Right, sorry. Come on, let's go." He looked at Cassie and Ryder with a friendly smile as he left the room. Eli followed him, but was surprised when Brandon almost immediately started asking questions. "Was this Ryder's idea?" Eli nodded.

"Yeah. Is that bad?" Brandon shook his head.

"Not necessarily, no. It's just..." He stopped speaking. Eli looked up at him as they walked through the front doors of the school.

"Just what?" Brandon shook his head.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it." They both got into the car. Eli spoke again as Brandon started it and began the drive home.

"Isn't Ryder your friend?" Brandon nodded.

"My best friend since we were little kids."

"Then why do you act like you don't like us hanging out?" Brandon shook his head.

"That's not the problem, Eli. I'm perfectly fine with you guys being friends, it's just...well...I think he has a thing for you." Heat crept into Eli's ears and cheeks.

"A thing...? You mean he likes me? As more than a friend, I mean?" Brandon gave him a quick glance and nodded.

"Yeah...are you okay? You're bright red." Eli nodded quickly and looked out the window.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He said. Brandon didn't say anything else, so Eli retreated into his thoughts.

 _Brandon thinks Ryder likes me...?_ Eli smiled a little. _Someone actually likes me..._

He didn't know if he liked Ryder back (it was a bit too early to tell, by his standards), but it did feel good to know...

He actually looked forward to school the next day.


	12. IMPORTANT UPDATES!

**A/N: Well guys, I've decided to start focusing on this story again by, well...rewriting the rewrite. I think I've improved even more since I made this, and could do it a lot more justice. I don't want Eli to be a self-insert, I want him to be his own character, his own person different from me, different interests, etc.**

 **And now for the most important update: Eli will not end up dating Bonnie/Brandon. IF shipping happens, it'll be with Ryder/Toy Bonnie/whatever I decide to name him because I dislike the name now lol. I only wanted to last time to maintain faithful to the original, but to be honest I HATE the original. I wrote it when I was just a cringey fanboy who didn't know crap about a lot of things. I no longer like the idea of dating an adoptive sibling. It's gross. Yes, they aren't technically related, but to use that excuse when they're officially adopted is like saying they aren't part of the family. They are.**

 **I would also like to formally apologize. I deeply, deeply regret the way I wrote Eli, and many of the other characters. Freddy could be borderline abusive at times. Eli had a twisted, glorified but demonized screw-up of a mental illness portrayal, and remembering how I wrote it makes me feel sick.**

 **As far as some plotpoints go, this rewrite will be similar to the original story. But all of the things I hate about it are gone.**

 **I also don't guarantee that I will rewrite the whole series to its conclusion or add the one-shot anthology.**

 **Thank you all for your patience, and I hope you enjoy the** ** _real_** **rewrite when it arrives soon.**


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